Climbing The Ladder
by JemMars
Summary: Jade Hawke was just trying to live life and take care of her family, she never expected to be involved in things that would change the world forever. AU. Eventual Anders/Hawke
1. Chapter 1 The Deal

It had been a year since my family and I had escaped to Kirkwall from Lothering, from the corruption of the dark spawn. A year since my brother and I started working for the mercenary company Red Iron. Now I walked in High Town toward the dwarvan district with my brother in tow, him glancing at me now and again. I sighed and stopped walking looking at him, "Something wrong, Carver."

He crossed his arms over his chest, "Are you certain about this."

I mimicked his movements crossing my own arms across my chest, "Do you have a better idea."

He uncrossed his arms and sighed, "No, I don't."

"Then come on," I continued on my way, "This expedition is going to be our chance to get out of that damn hovel our Uncle Gamlen owns." I walked into the district and glanced around, Carver right behind me.

"How are we suppose to know which one he is, all these damn dwarves look the same to me," I smacked him in the back of the head, "Ow what the hell was that for," he rubbed his head where I hit him.

"Do you really want to piss them off, hey I think I see him," I walked over to a dwarf with a ponytail and long braided mustache, "excuse me, are you Bartrand."

He turned and looked at me with anger in his face, "Yea, what of it."

"We heard you're going into the deep roads, we came to sign on."

He narrowed his eyes at me looking like he was measuring us up, "No."

I looked at him with anger, "What do you mean no," he started walking with my brother and me following close behind.

"Andrastes tits human no means no I have enough guards," he stopped in front of a door.

Carver argued with him, "But we've fought dark spawn before."

Bartrand glanced at Carver then back to me, "I don't care if you ripped the horns off of an ogre with your bare hands I said no."

I tried to argue the point next, "look my brother my not always know what he's talking about, but he's right this time you need us."

"Look you're trying to get out of the slums right, well so is every other Ferelden in Kirkwall so go find your meal ticket elsewhere," with that he went though the door to his office and slammed the door shut.

Carver turned to me, "Well now what are we going to do, it's your fault that we are trying to hide from the Templar's."

I cut my eyes at him, " Do you really want to start this argument here, brother."

"No, I just don't want to end up in a cell at the gallows."

"You and me both," we started making our way back to lowtown.

"Maybe Uncle Gamlen can help us, I'm sure he wants us out just as bad as we want to leave." Carver said not sounding too confident.

I grinned, "Well he is just as sleazy as the damn dwarf," I thought for a moment, "perhaps Aveline has something we can help with she is part of the city guards now."

He nodded, "That sounds like a better idea."

"We'll figure something out lets just head back to that shit hole for now." As we made our way through the crowd someone bumped into me, I felt my side noticing my coin purse missing, "Hey," I started after him.

We turned the corner after the thief just in time to see an arrow pin the man to a wall. Carver and I stood there as a beardless dwarf put a wicked looking crossbow away and approached the man, "You don't have the style to work Hightown let alone the Merchants Guild," The dwarf stuck his hand out for the coin pouch. The thief placed it in his hand, the dwarf put it away punched the man and retrieving his arrow, "Now get out of here." The man ran off and the dwarf approached us throwing my coin pouch at me I caught it with ease, "Varric Teathrus," he introduced himself, "I apologize about my brother, he wouldn't know an opportunity if it hit him square in the jaw."

I looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "and you would I take it."

He grinned slightly, "I would, we don't need more guards what we need is a partner, my brother is tearing his beard out trying to fund this expedition."

I crossed my arms, "If we had coin we wouldn't need to go on this expedition," I sighed and uncrossed my arms, "but seeing that we don't have a damn choice what do you have in mind."

"If you can raise fifty sovereigns my brother won't be able to say no," we entered into Lowtown, "I may have an idea, there is also another matter to address." We stopped in front of a tavern, "Meet me in the hanged man later and we can talk," he entered the tavern leaving us to go home.

I turned to Carver, "Well what do you think?"

"Doesn't seem to bad of an idea if we can get the coin," he started home, "lets go check on mother."

The walk home didn't take long, we entered the hovel, and into the middle of another argument between Mother and Uncle Gamlen, "My children have been in servitude for a year."

Gamlen frowned at her, "you are the one that left Leandra, you don't stay the favorite when you run away with an apostate."

Mother sighed, "It's just hard to belive that they didn't leave me anything, where is fathers will I would like to see it."

Gamlen crossed his arms, "Why it was read, there is no need for it anymore, you won't be able to retrive it."

I interrupted the arguement," You're hiding something, Uncle," I put my hands on my hips, " where is the damn will at."

"It's in the estates vault."

Carver looked at him with suspision," what kind of dumb bastard leaves that behind."

Gamlen went to the door, "I'm not standing for this I'm going for a drink," he slammed the door behind him causing the wall to shake slightly.

I turned towards mother, "Are you ok."

She smiled wearily, "Yes I'm fine dear."

I nodded to her, "Good, Carver is going to stay here I'll be right back, I'm going to meet some people."

"Alright, please be careful, with Bethany gone I don't want to lose you or you're brother now."

I gave her a reassuring smile, "Don't worry I'll be fine."

"Good," she yawned, "I think I'll get some rest now," she went though the only door in the place that lead to the beds.

I turned to Carver,"You stay here to watch her, I'm going to the hanged man to meet our new friend Varric."

He nodded once, "If you're sure, we don't need our Uncle making her more upset when he comes home drunk," He looked concerned for just a moment, "You watch yourself out there sister."

I smirked, "I can handle myself."

Carver agreed, "I don't doubt you on that I still haven't forgotten last time you proved that to me."

My smirk turned to a smiled as I remember that old memory of me beating him in a fist fight after he tried to sell me short about my fighting skills, "Not all mages are soft."

I went to the Hanged Man and entered the tavern. I was immediately hit with the smell of sweat and alcohol, and the sounds of shouting, drunken singing, and fights about to ensue. I smiled loving it. I approached the bar, and addressed the bartender placing a couple of coppers on the bar, "Give me a pint of your strongest drink."

The man behind the bar eyed me, "you sure you can handle it."

I narrowed my eyes, "Try me." He handed me an old chipped mug with dark amber liquid in it, and I downed it in one gulp. The man looked at me surprised causing me to grin, "Now that's out of the way I'm looking for a dwarf by the name Varric Teathrus."

The man coming back to his senses at the mention of the name pointed toward the back of the tavern, "Up the stairs straight ahead."

I nodded and headed in that direction. As I walked a drunk man tried to grab me, and I turned punching him in the side of the face knocking him out. "Stupid bastard," I spat and continued on my way.

I went up the short flight of stairs a halway went to my left, a room in front of me with the door open. I could see Varric sitting in a dwarven stone chair at the end of a long table. When he heard me enter he looked up from what he was writing, "Hawke glade you could make it," he said with a broad grin, "take a seat I'll get Norah to bring us some drinks."

I sat in the chair to his right, " I would enjoy a drink."

He left the room a moment and came back taking his seat at the head of the table again. The waitress, Norah, came in to place a pitcher of alcohol and two mugs on the table and left. He pour both of us a drink, and both of us downed them. He poured again this time just taking a sip, "so down to business, the expedition needs a way into the deep roads, Bartrand can get us where we need to go once we get there."

I looked stunned for a moment, "You're telling me that he's been planing this expedition without having a way down to the deep roads, how in the void does that even work."

Varric chuckled, "Yeah, he thought he found a way, it turned out to be a bad lead."

"It never is easy," I finished my drink, and leaned back in my chair hands behind my head, "so how can I help."

He nodded his approval, "My sources have been hearing rumors about a grey warden here in Kirkwall, He came in with other Ferelden refugees, A woman named Lirene has been helping the refugees, she may know where to find him."

I thought to myself for a moment, "Grey Warden, huh," I grinned, "aren't they suppose to be dangerous."

He grinned back, "I get the feeling that you like danger."

"That I do my friend, that I do," we finished off the pitcher, "we'll find Lirene in the morning I'll meet you here." I rose to leave.

Varric looked at me, "you gonna be alright getting home," he asked sounding slightly concerned.

"I'll be alright, it'll take a lot more than that to get me drunk." I didn't even slur, "the drinks back in home in Ferelden are a lot stronger." With that I left making my way back home.


	2. Chapter 2 Slavers

I opened the door to the hovel that I called home, and noticed my brother Carver siting in front of the fire pit sharping his sword. He glanced over his shoulder seeing it was me he went back to his task, "How'd it go?"

I sat in the chair next to him and watched the dying flames in the pit. I waved my hand causing the flames to light up again, then threw a few logs on the fire,"It went well, although I don't think you're going to like it." He raised a questioning eyebrow, "He wants us to help find a way into the deep roads."

He finished sharping his blade and went to cleaning it, "That doesn't sound-"

I interrupted him "It involves getting the help of a Greywarden."

He stopped, "Are you crazy."

I smirked, "Yes."

He shook his head, "You know what I mean."

"Look Carver it's the only option we have at the moment," I leaned back in the chair resting my hands behind my head, "besides Greywardens can't be that bad, even if we have to fight them, they are mortal, they can die."

He looked at me mouth agape, "You plan on fighting them?"

I shrugged, "If it comes down to it, taking care of mother is more important than anything."

He nodded "I know, but maker you really are crazy sister."

"Yeah, well I try," I looked around, "what are you doing up anyway?"

He set his broad sword aside, "Mother apparently had a key to a passage in Darktown that leads to the old Amell estate, right into the vault."

I stood, "well what are we sitting around for then?"

He stood also, "the thing is Uncle Gamlen lost the estate in a game of wicked grace to slavers."

I grabbed my 'staff', a duel bladed weapon with long narrow blades at both ends, and put it in the harness on my back, "all the better to kill them."

He put his own weapon on his back, "Glad we agree."

We both sneaked out closing the door behind us slowly so not to wake mother up, I couldn't help but laugh softly.

Carver looked at me confused, "what's so funny."

"This reminds me of when we sneaked out back in Lothering to go drinking at the tavern, Father was pissed when he found us walking back, and you were getting sick all over the place, you never could hold your alcohol." I sighed remembering our father, "he never did tell Mother."

He frowned, "I miss him too."

I nodded, "lets go."

We walked down the stairs to Darktown finding surprisingly no bandits trying to ambush us, "Maybe we're more intimidating looking than I thought." We walked though Darktown, unfortunate refugees and elves eyed us with suspicion. Ignoring them we finally made it to our destination, rickety stairs lead up to a dark pathway. I gripped my staff, "You ready," I asked him.

He unsheathed his sword, "To kill some blighted slavers, who wouldn't be." He started up the stairs first, I followed close behind looking past my shoulder every now and again. We slowly entered the first room two men stood on the far side of the room chatting with each other. Carver glanced at me, I nodded once and he rushed the two chopping one in two. The other tried to run, but I cast a winter's grasp freezing the man in place, then Carver shattered him with a smack of his blade.

We made our way to the next room, it was empty, "be careful," I warned my brother, "there may be traps." We almost reached the other side of the room when I felt the floor beneath me give in slightly, "shit," I muttered. There was a click and arrows flew past me, I was able to dodge most, but one pirced the flesh in my hip embeding itself. I hissed from the pain and broke most of the arrow off leaving the tip in.

Carver rushed over to me, "You alright sister, damn it, you warn me, but you never look out for yourself."

"I'm fine, it didn't hit anything important, it's not poisoned either," I began walking to the next room, "I'll take care of it when we get back home, lets get this over with." We entered a small room next, a large shield hung on the wall with the Amell family crest carved on it, "that is amazing."

"To think we could have been something," Carver almost sounded sad.

I shook my head, "we will be something, We'll make the name Hawke something to be remembered, to be feared." I clenched my fist, "and I will destroy anyone who try to stop us."

"Take your anger out on the slavers."

We passed into the last room, a man stood in the middle of the room, a mage by the looks of his robes, "did Gamlen send you to get back his little estate," he sneered at us.

I laughed, "No we just came to kill some slavers that deserve it."

The slaver seemed taken aback by what I said, but quickly regain his composure, "you won't survive long enough."

A pair of assassins appeared behind us, one quickly stabbed Carver in the back with twin daggers. I turned causing the assassin behind me to slice his blade across my side, but I spun my staff lobbing the head off of the assassin that attacked my brother. The other assassin moved out of the way throwing down a smoke bomb and disappearing. "Damn it," I glanced at Carver as he got up, "you all right."

He readied his weapon I could tell he was ignoring the pain, two trails of blood ran down his back, "I'm fine." The assassin appeared again, but Carver was ready. He jammed his blade up between the killers ribs through his back.

Seeing that Carver had things under control I turned my attention back to the slaver, "your turn to die." I threw a ball of fire at the mage he quickly blocked it with a wall of ice.

"A fellow mage, well this is a surprise," he scoffed, "you don't look the type."

I narrowed my eyes, "because I don't hide behind others like a normal squishy mage." I slammed my staff on the ground causing the ground to sputter and shake knocking the man to the floor. I went over to him blade at his neck.

"Wait, don't do this people will be after you." he tried coming up with excuses for me to spare his life.

An evil smile spread across my face, "they will have to wait in line," I separated his head from his body. "Bastard," I spat on the dead body, "it's men like that I hate the most, mages have a bad reputation enough as it is, we don't need people like him making it worse."

Carver stood next to me, I could tell he was getting weak from losing blood, "well, now that that's over lets get that will." We walked up the stairs to the vault, the bright and fancy decorations a strong contrast to the dingy basement we left behind.

He started digging though a wardrobe as I looked through a chest. I heard him huff out of anger, "Nothing, what did you find?"

I pulled out a stack of papers, "I think this is it." I quickly scaned the contents, "that bastard," I handed the papers to Carver," look at this our grandparents left everything to mother." I could feel the anger rising, "when I get my hands on that son of a bitch he'll be lucky if I don't kill him."

Carver put a hand on my shoulder, "come on sister lets get this back to mother she'll be happy about this."

I nodded and we slowly made our way back past the dead slavers, toward the end Carver had lost alot more blood than I thought. He ended up having to lean on me his arm around my shoulder to stop from falling. "Maker, you're lucky I'm just about as big as you, if I was any other mage you'd be screwed."

He groaned at my bad joke, "very funny."

We descended down the stairs back to Darktown, and I could feel my own strength fading as I was losing my own blood. By the time we got to the end of the stairs Carver had already passed out. I made a few more steps but my vision was starting to darken telling me that I wasn't to far behind Carver. " Great," I mumbled, "Passing out in Darktown is the last thing I wanted to do." Just before my vision grew completely dark I noticed a man coming out of a door to our left. He rushed over to us, then I closed my eyes hearing him mutter something about stupid people trying to be heroes against slavers, and everything went dark.


	3. Chapter 3 Darktown Clinic

The smell of elf root filled my nose, and I slowly opened my eyes glancing around I didn't recognize my surroundings. I laid on a cot surrounded by screens that I only assumed separated me from other cots. I jerked upright causing pain to rip though my side, "Shit," I groaned and placed a hand where the gash is my side was. I looked at my hand it was covered in fresh blood, "Damn it."

I tried to stand up from the cot only to be stopped by the same man that I saw before I passed out in Darktown. He came from between two screens and quickly walked over to me, "What are you trying to do," He said in a smooth voice, "You need to rest." He noticed the fresh blood on my side, "I knew I wasn't going to be able to close it up right the first time," he muttered sadly.

For a moment I forgot what I was suppose to be doing, "I uh," I lost my voice. I just sat there and looked at him and I couldn't help but stare. His dirty blonde hair reached his shoulders and the top half pulled back into a ponytail. He looked at me with concern in his honey brown eyes, and then smiled at me. ' Damn, he's cute, wait what, oh my,' I thought. I shook my head trying to remember what happened, and then my eyes went wide, "My brother, where is he?" I tried getting up again but he stopped me.

"Hold on," he helped me lay back down, "Are you talking about that big brute, the one that you were helping when I found you."

"Yes where is he," I tried to get up again, but a firm hand on my shoulder stopped me.

"Relax, he's right on the other side of this screen, I'm surprised you can't hear the guy snoring" he sat on a stool next to the cot, "First we need to close you up, would you like to be asleep for this, it may be painful."

I smirked, "Pain I can handle."

He smirked back, "If you say so."

I turned onto my good side for him to reach the gash better, "Are you going to tell me your name," I asked as I gritted my teeth as I turned making it tear slightly more, then my endorphin's kicked in making the pain bearable. My body relaxed under the touch of his soft hands as he examined the wound, "I mean since we seemed so well acquainted and all."

I could feel him concentrating as he talked, " My name is Anders," he answered, then gave me a thoughtful look, "how about you."

"My name is Jade, Jade Hawke," I said as I watched him, "some people call me Hawke but I prefer Jade."

He nodded, "Jade it is then," He rubbed his stubble chin in thought for a moment, "Now, hold still, I'm going to close this up, plus the arrow needs to come out now it may get infected."

I could feel a pull on the fade as he hovered his hands over my hip, his hands started glowing blue color. He closed his eyes as he focused his energy, a single drop of sweat went down the side of his face. I could feel the arrow in my hip moving outward. Slowly it moved ripping the flesh again as it was being pulled out. When the end emerged he quickly grabbed it and yanked out.

"Maker, that hurt like a bitch," I snapped at him.

He held back a laugh, "Sorry about that."

His hands moved back over my hip and started to glow blue again, then as he concentrated the hole started to close. He pressed his hand down on it firmly and I felt the warmth from his hand seep into my hip closing up the hole. When he removed his hands there was no evidence of where the arrow went in not even a scar. He then moved to the gash in my side right below my rib cage and started working on it his hands glowing the blue color again. In less time than the previous one he pushed down on it the same as before the warmth reaching into my flesh closing it up and not leaving a scar again.

"You're really good at healing magic, are you a spirit healer, I've always been one for the elements myself, my sister was always the healer in our family." I sat up slowly and put my legs over the side of the cot, "although she wasn't that good."

"You're a Mage," He asked surprised, "you don't look it," he said as he looked me up and down. I'm sure he was talking about the fact that I didn't wear robes like a normal mage, but a pair of form fitting pants and a loose tunic with a leather chest guard on top. He had a devious smile on his face, "robes are easy to maneuver out of the way, although," he said in a husky voice, "I like what you're wearing a lot better."

I looked at him with a raised eyebrow and said softly, "Why sir if I'm not mistaken I'd say you were trying to flirt with me."

He took one of my hands, "perhaps I am."

There was a groan from the other side of a screen, "Carver, I guess I need to check on him." I could hear Anders make a disappointed sigh as I walked between the screens to see Carver sitting up without a shirt on running his hands through his shoulder length black hair.

He groaned again when he saw me, "Maker, what happened."

I crossed my arms and answered his question, "We killed a bunch of slaver bastards and retrieved grandfathers will, but we ended up getting hurt pretty bad," Anders walked in behind me then, "if it wasn't for this guy we'd probably be dead."

Anders chuckled, "there is no probably, you would be dead, not from the wounds, but from somebody that would come finish the job and loot your dead body." He sat on a stool next to the cot Carver was on, "Let me check on the stab wounds."

My brother looked to me skeptical, I nodded my head in assurance and he complied turning to let Anders look at his back. "I didn't think they were going to be that difficult to deal with."

I frowned and shook my head, "It's not you're fault, I should have been more careful." I watched as Anders looked over my brother, he would glance at me now and again smiling. I couldn't help but be lost in my thoughts, 'there is something about him, I feel a pull towards him, perhaps it is something in the fade that draws me to him.'

He stood up from the stool pulling me from my thoughts, "seems like you healed nicely," he said as he grabbed a clean shirt and tossed it to Carver.

Carver put on the shirt and laid back down hands behind his head, "So where are we," he asked Anders.

"You're in my clinic in Darktown, I usually deal with diseases from poor living condition or someone consuming bad food, the both of you are the first I had to heal in Darktown from being stabbed or shot with an arrow." He looked from Carver to me, "Not that I mind, anyway it's still before midnight and you both should rest."

Caver shrugged, "If you say so, this cot's more comfortable than the beds at our Uncle Gamlens hovel, anyway."

I rolled my eyes at him and left him to sleep returning to the cot i was on earlier, and I sat down on the edge of the cot and stared at the dirt floor. I heard someone approach and glanced up seeing it was Anders, so I looked back to the floor. "Sometimes I feel like," I hesitated a moment, then heard my brother start snoring again, "I feel like I don't do enough." I rested my head in my hands, "so much has depended on me since my father died," I sighed deeply, "I'm sorry I don't know why I'm telling you this, I've only known you for a couple of hours if even that and I feel like I've known you for, maker, for a long time."

He sat down next to me on the cot and spoke just barely above a whisper, "is it odd that I feel the same."

I couldn't help but laugh softly, "I suppose," my hazel eyes met his honey brown. "anyway, I apologize about my brother and myself causing you trouble, I'm sure the slavers wouldn't like you helping the people that killed their people."

He smiled at me, "don't worry about it I've been having problems with them for months now, If it wasn't just me I would have taken care of them myself, but what were the two of you doing anyway, I'm sure the two of you didn't want to just rid the world of some random slavers."

"No I'm not that good at doing random acts of kindness, the slavers we killed were in the estate that used to be owned by my grandparents, the Amells, when they died my bastard of an Uncle took the money and lost the estate to the slavers, so my brother and I went to retrive the will in the vault for our mother, turns out they left everything to my mother." I started to get angry again, "that blighted asshole has already put my family though so much, finding this out has just added more fuel to the fire." I balled my hands into fists, "I'll kill him when I get back," I could feel my face getting hot as I closed my eyes, so that the fellow mage in front of me didn't see them start to glow a crimson red, and fire started to flicker at my finger tips.

It stopped as quickly as it began when Anders gabbed my hands and snuffing out the flames with his ice magic. "Stay calm," he told me softly, "you can't let your anger get the better of you, I know what it can do to a person."

"You do," I asked in a whisper opening my eyes to look at him again. "Anger is something I've always had a problem with," I said glancing away from him, ashamed at myself for letting him see my weakness so easily.

He took my face in his hand gently forcing me to look at him, "you can't let yourself carry the burden of taking care of everyone else, it will consume you."

I could feel my face getting hot for a different reason under his intense gaze, "I have my family to take care of, I have-," I stopped mid sentence not having any more reasons, "I am alone in this, I have no one that understands the things I have to endure, the running and the hiding from the templars, it's not something my mother or brother has to endure or can understand."

His face was close to mine our noses almost touching, "I understand," he breathed, then kissed me softly.

At first I didn't know how to react, thoughts rushed through my mind about protecting my family, but I pushed them out of my head determined to think for myself for once. I kissed him back forcefully and moved my arms around his neck pulling him closer to me. He ran his tounge along my bottom lip. I couldn't help but moan causing my lips to part slightly, and he took the opportunity to deepen the kiss. He tasted of tea and honey, something mysterious, and as our tongues danced I could feel one of his hands caress my cheek the other at the small of my back.

He broke the kiss and rubbed his thumb across my lips, and kept his eyes locked with mine. I couldn't help but ask him playfully, "do you kiss all the woman that come here like that."

He playfully replied back, "Only the ones I really like," he smiled, "and you I really, really like."

"That's good to know," I kissed him again, "I don't think I said it yet but thank you for helping my brother and me, I don't know how I can repay you."

Anders had that devious smile on his face, " sweetheart, a few more heated moments like that and I'll be the one needing to repay you." He stood from the cot still holding one of my hands, "it's getting late, and you should get some rest," he said then brushed a kiss on my knuckles.

"Rest won't come easy now," I laughed softly, "you've ruined that."

"Oh is that right," he flashed a smile, "well I must apologize then," he let go of my hand, "I'll see you in the morning."

With that he left, leaving me to wonder if it was just a dream, but when I laid back onto the cot and let sleep take me to the fade I realized it wasn't just a dream.


	4. Chapter 4 The Grey Warden

I woke up happier than I had in a long time, and I couldn't help but scold myself, ' Andraste's ass, what is wrong with me I don't ever act like that, even with someone so easy on the eyes.' I shook my head, 'ugh stop it.'

A voice whispered in the back of my head, '_There is something different, something not right with him_.'

I groaned inwardly, 'Like we're ones to talk, and you're not helping,' I argued.

The voice ignored me, '_I can sense something attached to him_.'

'I do to, maybe we'll find out one day.'

'_Perhaps, be cautious around him.'_

'I will Valor, you needn't worry about me I have been though worse.' I felt his presence fade from my mind.

I sat on the side of the cot and undid the braid my hair was in and ran my fingers though my long wavy hair. Just as I finished untangling the knots Anders walked though the screens with a two bowls in his hands. "Sleep well," I asked him.

He flashed a smile and handed me a bowl, "well enough after last night," he sat in the stool in front of me.

I ate the porridge he gave me quickly to feel the hole in my stomach, "I have to thank you again for helping us," I said between spoonfuls. I finished the breakfast he gave me, and thought I could make out the faint snoring from my brother, "I better wake up sleeping beauty, we have a lot of work to do today."

Anders nodded, "As do I, the line for my clinic is already forming," he said as he took my hand, "I will see you again, right?"

"You will, I promise," I pecked his lips and stood, then walked between the screens to the cot my brother slept on. Caver laid there snoring loud enough to wake the dead, "Yo, wake up," I shouted.

He jumped up, "Maker, why do you have to be so loud so early in the morning," he groaned standing from the cot.

"If I wasn't loud you wouldn't hear me over your obnoxious snoring," I crossed my arms annoyed, "now lets go we have work to do.

"We do huh," he gathered his sword.

"Yes we do, we need to go meet Varric so we can find the Grey Warden, remember." I started to walk away and Carver followed closely behind me, "he'll be at the hanged man, apparently he keeps a room there." When we left I could see Anders out of the corner of my eye helping some refugees already, so I gave him a smile and he returned it.

As we walked out of Darktown into Lowtown I heard Carver make a scoffing sound, "you can't be serious."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes, "what is it now," I asked aggravated and already knowing he was speaking of Anders.

"You were flirting with the mage weren't you," he sounded on the verge of laughing at me.

"What if I was, am I not allowed the pleasure to do that," I huffed at him.

He actually started laughing at me this time, "No, it's just not like the over protective older sister I'm used to." I gave him a look and he stopped laughing trying to explain what he meant, "I'm just used to you looking angry and hating everyone that even looks at you the wrong way." He smirked at a memory, "I'll always remember that time when a guy named Jacob in the Lothering tavern asked you on a date, you punched him in the mouth so hard I don't think he talks right to this day."

"That bastard deserved it, if his way of asking me on a date was slapping my ass and telling me that we should get a room so I could ride him like a stallion, then he needed to be hit in the face." We stopped in front of the hanged man, "now that you mention it, something along the same lines happened here yesterday."

"Can't you just say no?"

"I did, with my fist," I shrugged, "it's been working so far."

"If you say so."

"Don't let me get on the subject of Peaches, I caught the two of you doing alot more than flirting on more than one occasion in the damn barn," I said with disgust, "I'm scared for life from those experiences

We entered the Hanged Man and was met with silent stares, and as we made our way to Varrics room people quickly moved out of the way. "Well, I guess I made a better impression than I thought," I said with a smirk and Caver rolling his eyes at the situation. We headed up the stairs in the back with myself in the front and entered though the opened door to Varrics room.

Varric sat at his usual spot at the head of his table, "Ah the Hawke siblings how good to see you both," he stood up from his chair. "I found Lirene's shop, it's not far from here if you both ready to go," he said as he grabbed his unique crossbow.

I nodded, " Let's find this Grey Warden so we can get this expedition on the way."

We walked though the tavern, and I could feel the stares on me, then I heard Varric chuckle, "you seem to be popular Hawke."

"That I am," I chuckled back.

` We left the tavern and made our way though Lowtown Varric taking the lead, "I think this is it."

We walked into a building packed with Ferelden refugees standing in a line, and a woman, who I assumed was Lirene Yelling, "please stay in line, if you need healing let my girl know." I walked to the front of the line and she eyed me suspiciously, "you don't look like you need help, what do you need?"

"I'm actually looking for someone, a Grey Warden."

She crossed her arms, "I don't know of a Grey Warden."

A woman spoke up in line, "the healer was one once, a Grey Warden."

Lirene narrowed her eyes, "hush," she turned to me, "the healer was once, but I will not let him be taken by the templars."

"Taken by the templars," I repeated, "you mean he's a mage?"

"Yes," she sighed, "but I guess it's not my secret to keep, the refugees know that if you see the lit lantern the healer is there."

I bowed to her, "thank you ma'am."

We left the shop after I donated a sovereign and was confronted by a group of men. "Hey we heard you asking about the healer, we won't let you take him to the templars," a man that looked to be the leader shouted at us.

I looked to Carver, "I'll let you handle this."

Carver nodded and took a step forward, "Hey we're Ferelden's trying to live in this blighted city and avoid the templars just like you."

The man looked at us shocked, "I'm sorry, it's just your clothes you looked like Kirkwaller's." He bowed slightly placing his right hand in a fist over his heart, "Long live King Alistair and his queen Bridgette," He walked away.

I grinned, "Good job Carver," we started back toward Darktown, "I think I know who they are referring to."

"Is it your new boyfriend," Carver joked.

Varric raised a questioning eyebrow, "I wonder what kind of man would be fortunate enough to attract your affections," he joked also.

I frowned at both of them, "Just what in the damned void are you two getting at," I said angry.

Carver spoke first, "well sister, we both know that you can be a force to be reckoned with, even more so in your um closer relationships."

Then Varric agreed with him, "I could tell that from the moment we first met."

I could feel my face getting hot from anger, "what the fuck, fuck both of you," I said almost growling.

Varric smirked, "there she is."

Carver chuckled, "alright, alright, I'm done."

"Good, cause you were about to have no fucking teeth," I willed myself to calm down as we climbed the last set of stairs and the entrence to Anders clinic came into view.

We entered the clinic and I scanned the room and spotted him almost immediately. He was hunched over a boy laying on a cot, his hands glowing with a blue healing light hovering over the child. He gritted his teeth in concentration and started moving his hand over the boys chest, and after a moment the boy took a deep breath and sat up.

Carver muttered, "incredible."

Anders took a step back and turned leaning on a support beam, the boys father placed a hand on his shoulder thanking him. He nodded and the father left past us with his family, the young boy talking and running like he wasn't just in a coma. I took a step toward him and he quickly grabbed his staff leaning next to him and spun around, his eyes glowing a bright blue. His voice echoed strangely as he spoke, "I have made this a place of safety and healing, why do you threaten it?"

Carver and Varric stiffened and I turned to them, "it's alright," I turned back to Anders, "I'm back to ask you a favor, Anders," I said surprisingly calm.

He seemed to return to normal and leaned his staff back against the wall, "sorry about that you just took me by surprise," he said quietly.

"Sure," I said skeptic, "anyway, you don't seem to be the Grey Warden type."

He shrugged, "I'm not, wasn't really by choice," he narrowed his eyes, "you aren't here to take me back are you, I won't go back they made me get rid of my cat, I miss Sir Pounce-A-Lot," he looked to the ground sadly.

I held back a laugh, "You had a cat named Sir Pounce-A-Lot."

He smiled fondly, "yes, he was a gallant beast, he hated the deep roads, almost got ripped in half by a genlock once, after he swatted it on the nose."

"Well you don't have to worry I'm not here to take you back, we did hear that you might have some maps of the deep roads."

"I do, but why would you need them?"

I crossed my arms, "If you must know I'm part of a expedition going into the deep roads, and we need them to find a good excess point."

His eyebrows shot up, "shouldn't that have been done first."

I glanced a Varric and He shrugged, "that's exactly what I said."

Anders put a hand on his chin in thought for a moment, then nodded, "okay, I'll give them to you, but only if you do something for me, a favor for a favor."

"What do you have in mind."

"The real reason I'm here in Kirkwall is to help an old friend of mine, he is being held in the gallows." He started pacing back and forth, "I've been able to exchange a few letters, but the last one I received didn't seem to promising, we've agreed to meet at the Chantry tonight," he stopped pacing and looked me in the eyes, "I would feel a lot better if I had someone I trust to watch my back."

I heard Carver snicker and I shot him an angry look, he looked around avoiding my piercing gaze. I turned back to Anders with a softer look on my face, "I'll meet you there, I will help a fellow mage."

"Thank you, I will see you tonight then," he smiled then went to help the next patient.

I couldn't help the sigh that escaped my lips, "ok then," I turned to see my brother with a goofy grin and Varric eyeing me up and down, " don't say a word, either of you."

Varric looked slightly insulted, " why Hawke you wound me, I'd never."

"Sure," I scratched the back of my neck, "I think I will go see if Aveline has anything that we can help her with."

Carver and Varric looked at each other then back to me, and Varric addressed me, "You go ahead, little Hawke and I will grab a drink at the Hanged Man."

"Okay then, save me a drink, if she has anything I'll meet you there," I left them behind.


End file.
